/ This story takes place after Rory sleeps with Dean and fights with Lorelai at the end of S4. Confused and feeling trapped between obligations, Rory heads to New York to see her ex-boyfriend Jess, even though she rejected him when he came to Yale and asked her to run away with him.

This story borrows Ultrawoman's "The Runaways"'s amazing premise and heads in its own direction, as Rory decides to take control of her own life, using her time in New York to sort out her life, and to get to know the passionate Jess all over again–this time as adults.

When Rory Gilmore turned up on his doorstep in New York, Jess thought he was the luckiest guy alive. She was in tears and part of him was terrified, worried about her, wondering why she was here, but another part – stronger than he'd like to admit – kept wanting to grin. He had a weird feeling in his chest, a sensation he thought maybe Ginsberg could describe – wanting to cry and laugh all at the same time. When he had asked her to run away with him, and she had said no, he thought it was the end. He had cursed himself for trying – no, not for trying, but for trying it that way. Of course she wasn't going to run away from Yale; she belonged in Yale. He felt he had alienated her once and for all, shown his true colours and she'd said no. He should have done it different. But now, she had come to him, of everyone. Not Loreali, not her grandparents, not Miss Paddy or Babette, not fucking Dean, but him.

They barely talked that first night. She had stopped crying when he put in a coffee in her hands, and after that just been very quiet. Jess didn't know her quiet, and if anything that disturbed him more than the crying. He figured, she'd talk about it later. Maybe she had a fight with her Mom – they both said they never fought, but he always had thought they were pretty different people deep down. Different enough that one day their perfect relationship might explode. He hoped that was it, fearing worse – after all, he guessed the Lorelais couldn't stay fighting for long. Jess slept on the hard floor of the loft, wearing a couple of sweaters and using some more as a pillow, while Rory slept in the bed. But in spite of the sleeping arrangements, when he looked up at Rory, who was doing her best saint impression in her sleep, he couldn't help hoping she'd have to stay here a few weeks. At least long enough for him to find some way to say sorry for his theatrics, maybe even to have another shot at convincing her to be with him. Thinking this, he felt guilty, selfish, like he was angling and making designs when clearly she was upset. But he couldn't help himself. He was certain; they were destined to be together. He knew it, and he didn't even believe in that destiny schtick – that was more his Mom's thing. But, knowing it was cheesy and new-age or whatever, he still swore he could feel it in his bones. It was torture just lying on the floor next to her, hearing her breathing, and it took him way longer than it should've to get to sleep.

His alarm went off at some ungodly time. It was like he'd never left Luke's apartment, with his not-even-5AM wake-ups. He groaned loudly and then realised Rory was there asleep, and tried to be quiet, leaning over to switch off his alarm. Then he got up and crept up to go to the bathroom, before accidentally tripping on a pile of books which fell over with a crash.

'Shit!' he whispered.

'Jess,' Rory said, sitting up, 'don't worry I'm awake.'

'Doesn't sound like you are. Go back to sleep.'

'No, no, I am. Look,' she opened her eyes extra wide, not able to hide the fact that they were bleary with sleep.

Jess realised he was in his underwear, even if he was wearing a couple of sweaters, and he looked embarrassed down at his bare legs.

'Maybe you oughta close your eyes again while I put some pants on.'

'Oh. Yeah,' Rory said, nodding in that Rory way with lips tight, 'OK. I'm Helen Keller. Do what you need to do.'

Jess snorted and pulled on some trackpants.

'I don't know if you should be using Helen Keller's name in vain.'

'Oh she wouldn't have minded. People forget but she actually had a great sense of humour.'

'Guess you'd have to.'

'Jess,' she reproved, in a familiar tone that for some reason made Jess' heart beat faster.

'OK, I'm decent. You can look. Not a pound of flesh on display.'

Rory uncovered her eyes and sat up higher, still looking sleepy.

'There's no light.'

'It's called night.'

'Is it even the morning?' Rory asked.

'You know what they say – early bird gets the crappy paycheck.'

She shook her head, stubbornly.

'I'm pretty sure you're not even allowed to wake up this early.'

'I told you to go back to sleep and you wouldn't.'

'Well I thought it was eight or something. But I'm looking out the window and now I'm thinking might not even be eight. What comes before eight?'

'It's seven.'

'Now or before eight, because I was joking about not knowing what comes before eight. I was actually top in my elementary school for counting.'

'That's quite an achievement, but are you sure you didn't just miscount yourself to number one? It's happened before. How do you think Bush won against Gore?'

Jess sat next to her on the bed, and Rory moved her legs away and smiled at him.

'It's seven o'clock,' he said, twisting his wrist so she could see his watch.

'I didn't even know there was a seven in the morning.'

'Didn't you have to get up for Chilton at seven?'

'I've blocked it out. For Yale, I…" she trailed off.

'You alright?'

'Yeah,' Rory said, smiling again but not very convincingly, 'of course.'

'You know you can talk to me, right?' Jess asked, eyebrow raised.

'Yeah,' Rory nodded, 'I know.'

'But your mouth still isn't moving, or are you ventriloquizing real quietly?'

'I'm sorry, Jess. I can't talk now, it's too early.'

'In the morning?'

'No – I mean in general. It's too fresh. I'm sorry. I know it sucks, me turning up like this and not telling you anything. But I will, soon. Is that OK?'

Jess shrugged: 'Whatever.'

Rory hid a laugh:

'I've missed that.'

'Missed what?'

'How you say 'whatever',' she said, copying his intonation.

He frowned:

'I don't say it like that.'

Rory nodded, 'oh yeah, you do.'

'Whatever,' he said accidentally, making Rory laugh and Jess to add, 'OK I made that too easy for you.'

They were silent for a minute, looking out the small window of the room as the black faded lighter.

'I'm happy you're here, Rory.'

'Me too.'

'Yeah?' He looked over.

She nodded, trying on a smile. They were silent for a while, a bit awkwardly, and then Jess stirred and stood up.

'I better shower.'

'Right,' Rory said, nodding again, 'that's good. Showering is good.'

Jess went off to the bathroom, picking up a towel from the floor, leaving Rory alone. She rubbed her eyes again; it really was early. She stood up, taking one of the blankets from the bed with her and wrapping it around her shoulders. She waddled up to the window and looked out, down onto the New York alley underneath them. It looked like a movie, it was so typically New York-y. Yale had finished for the year, so at least she wasn't missing any school.

But she knew that her Mom would be expecting her, probably sometime today. Especially after their fight the day before yesterday. She really should call. She picked up her phone and flicked through her old messages. There was one from Loreali a week ago, 'When u home? Mama lonely, big house, daughter neglectful. xx'. Another, later, after their fight, 'Come home and we can talk. Are u at gparents?'. And one more: 'R u with Dean?'. She pressed reply and typed out: 'In NY. With Jess. Back soon,' and then squeezing her eyes shut, pressed send. At least, Rory thought, her Mom wouldn't read it until at least ten o'clock, given that it was a Saturday. She wanted to put off talking to her as long as possible. She flicked through her other texts, many of which were from Paris, who managed somehow to transmit her tone of voice through the written word; reading them, Rory couldn't feel more distant from that world. What was she even doing here? She tried, unsuccessfully, not to think about Dean.

Jess walked back into the room, with a towel around his waist, fiddling with his hair. Rory glanced at his chest, still wet and shining, before looking away, embarrassed, out the window.

'Sorry,' Jess said, 'forgot my clothes.'

'It's OK. Helen Keller's looking out the window.'

Jess, seeing her turned away, let the towel drop and rooted around in the drawers for some boxers and a shirt. Rory, her heart beating fast, turned around and glanced at Jess, his pale olive skin, the soft curves of his bottom, the black hairs on his legs. She quickly turned back around, feeling a strange feeling in her stomach. What was wrong with her? One time with Dean, and then–all these feelings.

'Decent again.'

Rory turned around, still blushing.

'I'm working until 3. What are you going to do?'

'I'm not sure. Maybe wander around town.'

'Do you have any money?' Jess asked.

'Oh, no. But that's OK.'

'Here,' he said, passing her some notes.

'No, Jess, it's OK.'

'You need to eat, right? Don't tell me you aren't hungry.'

'I'm not, it's the middle of the night.'

'Just take the money, Rory,' he intoned.

'OK,' Rory said, taking it, 'thanks. I'll pay you back.'

'Don't sweat it.'

'Where are you working? Walmart?'

'You know how I love the Corporation.'

'Employee of the century.'

'Geez, if only my pay packet reflected my performance; I'm like the Einstein of that place. But I'm just working there until midday. Then I'm dropping by the bookshop.'

'Bookshop?'

'Yeah. I didn't tell you. I work in a bookshop. Kind of started one, actually.'

'You started a bookshop,' Rory asked, grinning, 'are you crazy?'

'Hey,' Jess said, defensive, 'Who said bookshops weren't booming business?'

'Is it?'

'Well, not really. But we just opened a few weeks ago.'

'I can't believe you own a bookshop.'

'Me and a few other guys. And it's not like we own the building.'

'Still, Jess, it's amazing.'

Jess' stomach fluttered, seeing her approval.

'Thanks. Wanna visit?'

'Of course!'

'OK, meet you on 5th at 12.30, alright?'

'Which 5th?'

'I'll write it down for you.'

'OK, good. Maybe draw a picture. And leave a map.'

'You want me to come back here first and show you?' Jess asked, 'Because I don't want to find you two weeks later living in a dumpster.'

'No, it's OK. I can manage it.'

'Sure you'll be OK by yourself? This isn't Stars Hollow.'

'Jess, I'll be fine.'

'OK. Good.'

They stood, looking at each other.

'Hey, do you want a hug?' He asked, suddenly, almost looking nervous.

'What?'

'A hug. You know, arms around, human contact.'

'Oh. Yeah. Yes, I do.'

Jess came towards her and Rory's heart again started beating into overdrive. He put his arms around her and drew her in. Rory inhaled deeply, smelling the familiar Jess smell that was in his pillow, that was all around the room. She felt stupidly intoxicated by it. Jess said quietly:
'You know, I meant what I said at Yale.'

'I know.'

He pulled back and stared at her for a minute and then gave a shrug.

'See you later,' he said in his usual, casual voice. Rory hated and loved how quick he was to change, for a moment he was right there with her, pouring his heart out and a second later, miles away.

'12.30,' Rory said.

'Right, 12.30, and hey, don't mope alright?'

'I don't mope. I'm not a mope-r.'

'Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the one cleaning your computer keyboard on a Saturday night?'

'That was your fault!'

Jess shrugged again, making that don't-look-at-me face of his:

'Hey, just saying. Make sure you get outside. There are hot dogs out there, remember.'

All feedback is appreciated :)